George Russell believes that Max Verstappen could have a strategic advantage over the McLaren drivers in the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix. The Dutchman could potentially lose the championship on Sunday, unless he finishes ahead of his British rival. Verstappen is starting from the third position, which is not the best starting point, but according to Russell, who is also starting behind the McLarens, the Dutchman could still outperform them.
Following Pirelli’s concerns about excessive tyre wear at the Losail International Circuit, all drivers are required to make at least two pit stops. The tyre supplier allows a maximum of 25 laps per set, and since the Grand Prix consists of 57 laps, a two-stop strategy is inevitable. Russell emphasized the importance of this measure; during the sprint race on Saturday, he noticed that the tyres – especially the front left – were already pushing the limit.
Tyre Limit
“Many drivers were very close to each other in terms of wear on the front left tyre,” Russell told the press in Doha. “Of course, we’ve all already done 25 laps on the medium tyres if you count the six qualifying laps. That was really the limit.” The Mercedes driver then discussed possible strategies for the race and pointed out a potential advantage for title contender Max Verstappen over his closest rivals.
“It will be interesting to see if we go medium-medium-hard, which seems most logical to prevent the undercut,” he continued. “At the same time, there may be drivers who start on the hard tyre or use it in the second stint. Maybe Max (Verstappen) does something different,” Russell noted. “He starts on the clean side of the grid, so that’s already a clear advantage. Verstappen can probably afford to start on the hard tyre and still have a better start than me on the mediums,” Russell concluded. “At least, that’s how I imagine it. The McLaren drivers probably won’t do that; the risk is too great for them.”
